Prime lambs from sires bred by flocks’ using LAMBPLAN have stolen the show at the 2008-2009 WAMMCO International State Carcase competition, the nation's largest in terms of number of entries, lambs evaluated and overall prize money. Entries for this years competition totalled over 21 thousand prime lambs, an increase of 3000 carcasesfrom the previous year. The number of entries also rose to 102, which was up by 4. The minimum consignment of lambs was 100. Each carcase was assigned weight and grade points, with either a plus or minus VIAscan® loin bonus determined by the loin yield. Rams evaluated through LAMBPLAN have done particularly well, having sired 11 of the top 12 entries. The results for the top 12 entries are shown in Table 1 below.Congratulations to all entrants and their ram suppliers. Special mention goes go to Mark and Hayden Edwards of Rockdale Prime SAMM stud, whose 112purebred SAMM ewe lambs won the coveted award. This is the second time that Rockdale has won the award, having won in 2006-2007. Rockdale rams also sired the second placed entry.

“It is pleasing to see the majority of the top 12entrants utilize the services provided by LAMBPLAN. The Prime lamb industry is now a professional stand alone highly valuableenterprise and the days of buying any old terminal sire are gone. More so when premiums are being offered by processors for elite yielding carcasses, growers must take a more professional approach to purchasing sires (and replacement ewes) and dothe necessary research online to find the genetics that will enable them to maximize their potential returns.”Rob Davidson of WAMMCO International.

http://www.tiarri.com.au/news/pdf/Pre%20Rockdale.pdf taken from Australia Weekly Livestock

ROCKDALE stud has dominated WAMMCO International's state carcase competition in recent times and this year made it three out of the last fbur years the Edwards family has won the prized award. The stud's line of 104 Prime SAMM ewe and wether lambs scored the top of 27 14 points to be placed ahead of 17,249 lambs from 76 entries originating from WA's northern, eastern and southern agricultural areas. Rockdale's winning line presented an average carcase weight of 25.22kg, a 2.25 fat score, a WAMMCO Select lean meat yield of 32.11pc and 81.7 pc of the carcases received bonus points for their total of 2714. Equally pleasing for the stud was second overall placegetter Jon Ward, Dumbleyung, who is a client of the stud. Rockdale had another successful showing at the2010 Wagin Woolorama where the stud exhibited the champion interbreed group of one ram and two ewes and thechampion Prime SAMM ram of the show. The champion ram Rockdale 09-0007, who was part of the interbreed winning group will lead the stud's Prime SAMM team at the sale this year. A feature of the line-up will be the new South African genetics on offer, which includes 09-0007. Rockdale will hold its fifth annual on-property ram saleat Dumbleyung on Wednesday, September 15, where 120 Prime SAMM rams and 40 White Suffolk rams will be offered. Inspections are from 10 am and the sale will begin at 1 pm. Sale catalogues and ASBVscan he emailed or faxed prior to the sale upon request. The ASBVs for this year's sale rams are well above the breed average for both the Prime SAMM and White Suffolk breeds. The muscling ASBVs in the on August 25. The team averages l02kg and 43 EMD and has wool averages of 22.2 microns and97.Spc CF.Lunch and refreshments will be provided at the sale. For further information contact Haydn on 0428 634 182 or Mark on 0427 634 182.

Rockdale 09-0007, who was champion Prime SAMM ram at this year's Wagin Woolorama, will lead the Rockdale Prime SAMM team at the Rockdale on-property ranr sale on Wednesday, Septernber 15. With the ram at Woolorama earlier this year were judge Phillp Russell (left) and Rockdale coprincipal Mark Edwards.